Surrey County Club to construct cricket village for tsunami victims

The tsunami which struck the Western and Eastern Coasts of Sri Lanka on December 26, 2004 was, by far, the single largest natural disaster to affect this country in its recorded history, causing extensive loss of life and damage to property.

Sri Lanka lost over 50 of its Junior Cricketers and able Cricket Administrators. In addition, the internationally renowned Galle International Cricket Stadium was badly damaged. Sri Lanka Cricket immediately set in place a mechanism to render assistance to those affected by the tsunami. This aid was not restricted to the families of cricketers and cricket administrators but was extended to cover all citizens of this country. Sri Lanka Cricket appealed to various International organizations for aid, and the Surrey County Cricket Club responded readily, and generously.

Surrey County Cricket Club, in association with Brit Insurance, offered to construct a Cricket Village for those affected by the tsunami. Conceptually, the residential section of the village is to house the displaced, while the cricket ground is meant to provide those living in the area with an opportunity to play competitive cricket on quality turf wickets. This proposal received the ready support of the Executive Committee of the Surrey County Cricket Club, as well as of its membership.

Special fund-raising cricket matches were organized to raise the necessary capital, and Sri Lanka Cricket launched the Cricket Aid Programme to co-ordinate these events. The design for the Cricket Village incorporates the building of 40 houses, a Cricket Ground, and added facilities such as a Community Center and landscaped public areas. The total sum set aside for this project is Sterling Pounds 500, 000 (Rs. 90 Million approximately) which, in addition to the capital expenditure needed for construction, is also for the maintenance of the grounds for a further period of 5 years.

The commitment to funding this project was finalized, after much hard work, by the officers of both organizations viz. Sri Lanka Cricket and Surrey County Cricket Club. Sri Lanka Cricket is especially grateful to the Chief Executive Officer, Surrey County Cricket Club, Mr. Paul Sheldon, who not only visited Sri Lanka to further this project but has also done an immense amount of work in the UK convincing his Committee and the other donors of the viability and genuineness of this project.

The Ceremony for the laying of the Foundation Stone of the Surrey Cricket Village was held on July 22, 2006 at 2.30 pm at Maggona, Beruwela, the selected site of the Cricket Village. The ceremony was be held under the patronage of the Prime Minister, the Hon. Rathnasiri Wickramanayake along with the Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs Hon. Jeewan Kumaranatunga. & Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardena Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion & Deputy Minister of Telecommunications. The construction period is approximately eight to 10 months and it is envisaged that the houses will be in occupation prior to the 2007 World Cup.